Photo credit: Institute for Systems BiologyPSEP Photo Gallery
Partnership for Science & Engineering Practices
Partnership for Science and Engineering Practices (PSEP) is supported by two 3-year U.S. Department of Education Math and Science Partnership (MSP) awarded from Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. PSEP is led by Seattle Public Schools in partnership with the Renton School District, University of Washington, and the Institute for Systems Biology.
Project Overview
Teachers from Seattle Public Schools and the Renton School District, in partnership with the University of Washington and the Institute for Systems Biology, design curriculum enhancements related to Science and Engineering Practices of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). In each year of the project, teachers engage in a 10-day professional development cycle comprised of seven summer workshop days and three school year release days. Working in collaborative teams supported by experts in science education and STEM professionals, teachers adapt their existing science instructional materials to align with NGSS Practices and Core Ideas.
**Tools developed to support teacher participants in adapting their instructional materials, as well as the specific enhancements, are available on this website.**
Project Goals
Increase teachers’ content knowledge and instructional practices related to NGSS:
Science and Engineering Practices of:
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Constructing Explanations (for science) and Designing Solutions (for engineering)
Designing and Using Models
Disciplinary Core Ideas in Engineering
Project Strategy
Teacher professional learning takes place over the course of a calendar year. At the beginning of each summer, project participants convene for a 1-day Project Launch. Later in the summer project participants convene for a 5-day Institute during which time they work together with STEM professionals to develop enhancements for existing science instructional materials. During the school year, teachers teach the instructional material enhancements and meet with project colleagues to look at student work during three release days.
Instructional Material Enhancements
Grade
Year 1 (2013-14)
Year 2 (2014-15)
Year 3 (2015-16) (tentative)
3
Sound (STC)
Rocks & Minerals (STC)
Plant Growth & Development (STC)
4
Circuits & Pathways (Insight)
Ecosystems (STC)
Food Chemistry (STC)
5
Land & Water (STC)
Models & Designs (FOSS)
Microworlds (STC)
6
Levers & Pulleys (FOSS)
Rocks & Minerals (SEPUP)
Cells
7
Force & Motion (SEPUP)
Plate Tectonics (SEPUP)
Evolution and Genetics
8
Populations & Ecosystems (FOSS)
Earth & Space (SEPUP)
Chemistry
Participating Teachers/Schools
PSEP1nn
Year 1 (2013-14)
Year 2 (2014-15)
Year 3 (2015-16)
Seattle
45 elementary teachers from 25 elementary schools
78 elementary teachers (31 returning from year 1 and 47 new) from 44 elementary schools
78 elementary teachers
Renton
All (25) middle school science teachers from 3 middle schools
All (25) middle school science teachers from three middle schools and four elementary teachers
All (25) middle school science teachers from three middle schools and four elementary teachers
PSEP2nn
Year 1 (2015-16)
Year 2 (2016-17)
Year 3 (2017-18)
Seattle
All MS teachers (~75)
All MS teachers (~75)
All MS teachers (~75)
Renton
All HS Chemistry teachers
All HS Chemistry and Biology teachers
All HS Chemistry, Biology, and Physics teachers
Partnering Institutions
1.Science and Engineering Practices of: a.Engaging in Argument from Evidence
b.Constructing Explanations (for science) and Designing Solutions (for engineering)
c.Designing and Using Models 2.Disciplinary Core Ideas in Engineering
​
Partnership for Science & Engineering Practices
Partnership for Science and Engineering Practices (PSEP) is supported by two 3-year U.S. Department of Education Math and Science Partnership (MSP) awarded from Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. PSEP is led by Seattle Public Schools in partnership with the Renton School District, University of Washington, and the Institute for Systems Biology.
Project Overview
Teachers from Seattle Public Schools and the Renton School District, in partnership with the University of Washington and the Institute for Systems Biology, design curriculum enhancements related to Science and Engineering Practices of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). In each year of the project, teachers engage in a 10-day professional development cycle comprised of seven summer workshop days and three school year release days. Working in collaborative teams supported by experts in science education and STEM professionals, teachers adapt their existing science instructional materials to align with NGSS Practices and Core Ideas.
**Tools developed to support teacher participants in adapting their instructional materials, as well as the specific enhancements, are available on this website.**
Project Goals
Increase teachers’ content knowledge and instructional practices related to NGSS:Project Strategy
Teacher professional learning takes place over the course of a calendar year. At the beginning of each summer, project participants convene for a 1-day Project Launch. Later in the summer project participants convene for a 5-day Institute during which time they work together with STEM professionals to develop enhancements for existing science instructional materials. During the school year, teachers teach the instructional material enhancements and meet with project colleagues to look at student work during three release days.Instructional Material Enhancements
Participating Teachers/Schools
Partnering Institutions
1.Science and Engineering Practices of:
a.Engaging in Argument from Evidence
b.Constructing Explanations (for science) and Designing Solutions (for engineering)
c.Designing and Using Models
2.Disciplinary Core Ideas in Engineering